The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-11-19
FL0RIDA'S METROPOLIS.
WASH SIMMONS FOUND GUILTY
OF MURDER.

OF M UhDER.
The Jury Recommends Him to the
Mercy of the Court "A Lawyer
Challenges Reporter to Fight a
Duel-The Court Decides to Leave the
Papers Alone,
JACKSONVILLE, FLA, Nov. 1S.-Enoch
Baker, one of the Sheritf's posse who were
endeavoring to arrest Adolphus Kimball in
South Jacksonville this afternoon, was shot
by him in the breast Kimball had resisted
Jesse Griffin, deputy sheriff, and retreat
ing into his house, barricaded the doors and
windows. swearing to shoot the first one
who entered. Griffin broke into the win
dow, when Kimball fired, hitting Baker and
scattering the posse Sheriff Holland was
then called for, and he arrested klmball
without trouble. Kimbalrs ofense is hav-
ing too many wives. Bakers wounds are
not serious.
The steamship Monticello, which left yes
terday for New York, will stop at Charles
ton for a load of cotton from James Adger
& Co At New York the vessel will be laid
up until sold.
The business of this session of the Circuit
Court is about over. The States Attorney
announced this morning that with the case
then on trial the work would be finished
The case was that of Wash Simmons
charged with numbering Alexander, rail
road section hand, last year near here. He
was found guilty and recommended to
mercy.
PRESS VS.. COURT.
The fight between the newspapers and re-
porters on the one side and the court jurors
ON the other seems to be rather one-sided
just at present, as the newspapers have the
top. As mentioned yesterday, great com
motion was caused yesterday by the NetcS-
Herdid's brief alusion to the composition
of the jury. The Judge said he would in
vestigate, and if the article was contempt of
court he would punish the editors, but he
said he would have to study the subject
some This mornings NeloS- Herald con-
tanned the following:
To all of which il may be said that no renec-
ton upon the personal character of any jury
man was much as limited at, but that it is
notorious that several Of the juryinen Were
warm personal friends of the defendant or his
father. Mr. IAckman, one turyman, keeps
saloon in which the other Medics was for long
time employed; James Mitchell, another jury
man, has been, and possibly now is in Mr.. Lack
mans employ and habitually frequents the
place; Mr.. Grfhth, juryman, is farmer en-
ploye of Mr.. lackman; the defendant was
frequenter of the place and a friend of Mr..
Lackman and Messrs Verril, Segui and Ryan.
all of the jury, are well known as patrons and
% y
1t certainly looks as il the bigger part of the
Jury had been captured in place, and that
place the establishment where the father of the
prisoner had long been employed, and the de-
PENDANT, in consequence thereof, had many
friends and acquaintances These men may
have rendered a just verdict. but the circun-
stance is one that any public journal has right
10 invite pubic attention to.
At the opening of court this morning
several indignant jurors were on their feet
at once gesticulating and calling upon his
honor for protection. One gentleman read
a long article of his own production which
be desired published as eeIn-off1cial and
some of the Others generally were aggrieved
on general principles. Judge Baker beamed
affably on the worked-up jurors, poured oil.
hgurativelv speaking, ON the troubled
waters, and indirectly advised them to keep
quiet and not notice the articles. This
rather staggered the would-b, aggrieved
gentlemen, and they silently and sorrow
fully sat down.
CHALLENGED TO FIGHT DUEL.
One very ludicrous feature of the recent
newsDaper-lawyer controversy, with regard
to a certain well-k lown attorneys failings
was the attempt on the part of the afore-
said attorney TO send a challenge to w. w.
Douglass a reporter. of the Netrop-
is this paper treated the gentleman's
failfgs far more leniently than either of
the others. They said he was indisposed,
while one of the morning papers said he
was overcome with liquor and the othe.
that he was disposed" quoted. Yester.
day morning he the lawyer denounced tn 4,
evening paper publicly in the court room.
and in their issye in the afternoon the Ne
topo{iS gave him a scoring therefor The
gentleman was again ''indisposei"
Last evening, and he was locked
up in the jury room-probahlV to
compose his perturbed faculties. One of
tie jurymen had throat trouble, and was
using phosphitaS, bottle of which was left
in the room. The prisoner" being some
what thirsty. drank up the phosphite which
seemed TO have bad effect on his fighting
humor, for early this morning he seut for
the Sheriff and presenting folded paper TO
him demanded that Inc carry il forthwith
10 'tlat man Douglass" The Sheriff dis
creetly retired and on opening the docu-
ment found it to be challenge to
Mr.. Douglass to fight mortal combat
unto death with swords, pistols, shotguns
or rifles. The verbiage OF the document was
rather strong and lurid. while the hero
glyphics chased each other all over the
sheet in various sizes, shapes and WAYS
The paper was four feet long. and the writ
ing in size ploportionate. The reporters
Hooked up to secure copy of this unique
document, Lut it had mySteriouslv disap-
Poded. II IL runoreu tndt Judge Baker
has it safely slowed away, but that fact
cannot be ascertained. If serious view is
taken of the matter the sending of such a
paper wouli disbar him. Popular opinion
Is with the newspapers, and everywhere is
heard commentator Of their course
Capt. Leo Vogel who for several months
has been acting as pilot for the Clyde steam
ships from Charleston to Jacksonville, will
now serve rs Superintendent of steyedoring
for the line at Fernandina and Jackson
vile.
Capt A. o. MacDonen, the General
Passenger Agent Of the Florida Railway
and Navigation Company, is building a
town on the banks of the Nassau river.
Surveyors are now at work there planning
it, etc. It is located fifteen miles from
Jacksonville, on the Fernandina branch of
the Florida Railway and Navigation Com
pany's road.